A streetcar rail intersection in downtown Roanoke, Virginia, circa Photo credit: George C. Streetcars were a hit and a major improvement over previous public transportation services.
But two major events were about to take their toll on the world and make it difficult for riders and transit companies alike. The appeal for a rapid transit system goes back to the late 19th century, when streetcars were still becoming commonplace. Even though streetcars provided a convenient way to get into and out of a city, they were still victim to some traffic limitations.
Heavy rail would carry trains across long distances without crossing traffic. A subway car in Boston undergoing a test run. The first subway cars were simply open streetcars that were redirected to underground tunnels. Monorails and other heavy- and light-rail systems certainly have their advantages. But there are many instances in which a rail system can be inconvenient. Any minor change to a route necessitates a new rail line, which has to be laid into the street while another line is torn out of the street.
And it can be difficult to justify the massive up-front cost of building rail infrastructure in a new area. Transit companies can send one bus to service a route while another is in the shop. Unless a city has the budget and the demand for a set-in-stone rail line, a bus system is the more economical choice. The rail systems of the early 20th century peaked in popularity around , but by , over rail companies had either gone out of business or converted to buses.
Studies show that rail systems are only efficient in extremely densely-packed cities, which explains their presence today in major cities such as New York, London, and Hong Kong. Otherwise, cities tend to rely on buses to transport the majority of their citizens. Mass transit ridership has declined significantly over the last years—so much so that some claim its existence is largely due to tradition rather than necessity.
As a car-centric culture began to emerge mid-century, it became commonplace for households to own at least one car. Knowing what an advantage it can be, many bus companies are working to make public buses more appealing, more affordable for city transit operators, and more environmentally friendly—which brings us to the next stop on our journey.
With electric buses gaining popularity, many public transportation systems are looking to adopt these environmentally-friendly vehicles to help reduce emissions and keep city air clean. Meanwhile, New York City , Seattle , and the state of California have made pledges to transition to zero-emission fleets. But with all of the environmental benefits of electric buses, they can have their drawbacks. Proterra is a company dedicated to creating clean, cost-effective, and efficient electric buses.
A handful of Nevada cities are already using Proterra buses in an effort to become emission-free. Photo credit: Proterra. Charging ports are standard at every bus depot so that drivers can plug buses in after a long day of driving, but Proterra also adds on-route charging stations that can charge a bus in as little as five minutes, ensuring hour service with little to no anxiety.
And while the up-front cost can be intimidating, the lack of fuel costs for electric buses quickly makes up for the initial cost. Perhaps an even more exciting advancement in public transportation options is Olli , a self-driving pod that can either fill in gaps in transit routes or act as an on-demand shuttle service, all while making the roads safer and bringing public transit access to a wider range of riders.
Olli has degree vision, cognitive response technology, and a special obstacle avoidance system to keep her passengers safe. If Pascal could have seen into the future, he would be pleased. And amazed. Skip to content. Facebook page opens in new window Twitter page opens in new window Instagram page opens in new window. Contact Us. The History of the Bus. Category: Uncategorized By Administrator May 16, Animal-drawn ferries are thought to be the earliest form of public transit.
This is when the idea of longer distance travel was possible by road. The first concept of a public transit system in a city started in the s in France and London with the introduction of the omnibus, a horse-drawn car that held up to 10 people at a time.
With the roads as they were in those days, can you imagine how uncomfortable that would have been? The first authenticated streetcar in America, the New York and Harlem Railroad, began service in The first cable car was tested in in San Francisco.
Fast forward to — here I am by an iconic cable car in San Francisco which still runs on the same tracks to this very day. The first public electric tram line opened in Berlin, Germany in It initially drew current from the rails, with overhead wire being installed in In the first underground railway in the form of the Metropolitan Railway on what would become the London Underground. Boston , Massachusetts opened the first subway system in the U.
Another UK first occurred in when the first mass-produced bus was introduced in London.
0コメント